Lupercalia

After six hectic months of dreaming, brainstorms, meetings, several late nights, a couple of arguments and a lot of laughter, the Lupercalia weekend is finally here.

In late August, I was invited to become Artistic Director of the Lupercalia Multi-Arts Festival, to redefine the vision established by founder Josh Richardson. The first Lupercalia was held in February 2013, building on the foundations of the Mudtown Music and Arts Festival (formerly OTHERfolk) and countless other events produced and hosted by Mudtown Records and their indefatigable volunteer committee. Over the years, the label – and the committee – have brought a vast array of artists to town and staged exhibits and cultural conversations in roughly two dozen downtown locations. There have been memorable shows from big names like Stars and The Strumbellas, and spectacular performances from lesser-known artists who have gone on to wider acclaim, like Terra Lightfoot, My Son the Hurricane and The Weather Station. Add Silent Film Ensemble screenings with live scores, live music pop-ups, Farmers’ Market takeovers and Pride events and you can see that Mudtown Records and their associated events have had a huge impact on Owen Sound’s cultural landscape.

You can imagine my challenge when I was invited to become Artistic Director. What could I bring to the mix that was new and different? How could I engage the Owen Sound audience when so much had already been done? By thinking about two ideas – the current cultural moment we are experiencing with respect to women in the cultural and political spheres, and the fact that Lupercalia falls on Family Day weekend – the weekend’s “women and children first” theme fell into place.

My first year as artistic director of Owen Sound’s mid-winter arts and culture festival has been deeply rewarding. I am proud to offer a festival program that offers a wide variety of music by skilled performers who happen to be women, queer and gender-non-conforming, youth and/or people of colour. I’m equally thrilled to have programmed content that honours our history, engages the community in thoughtful conversation and mentors young local women. All of this has been made possible with the help of the festival’s volunteers, community partners and sponsors. We look forward to sharing it all with you this weekend.

You may find out more about all of the artists and free cultural events by visiting www.mudtownrecords.com (where you’ll find a full schedule) or at the Lupercalia Facebook page and associated events pages. Mudtown Records is pleased to offer subsidized tickets to the unemployed and underwaged. For more information email info@mudtownrecords.com or phone 519-416-5696.

Tickets can be purchased for the entire weekend, single Friday or Saturday evenings at Heartwood Hall, or for the Joyful Joyful show at Heartwood Home. Find Lupercalia on Ticketscene for online orders or drop by Heartwood Home to pick up paper tickets.

A very limited number of tickets was available at the time of writing.

“The lineup for the 2018 version of Lupercalia has been released and it has been affectionately nicknamed “the women and children first edition.”

The mid-winter festival will again be centred at the Heartwood Concert Hall on Feb. 16 and 17 during the Family Day long weekend, and this year’s lineup features a strong contingent of women and young people.” – Rob Gowan

Mudtown Records’ fifth edition of the Lupercalia Winter Multi-Arts Festival shares a community philosophy fueled by the idea that cultural events should be open to members of the community regardless of economics. This means that in addition to the range of free events offered to the public by Lupercalia, the festival will also provide subsidized passes to those who without the financial means to attend. Interested persons can obtain the subsidized passes by contacting the festival through the website MudtownRecords.com, emailing info@mudtownrecords.com, or by phoning (519) 416-8696. Ticket numbers are limited, and distributed on a first come, first serve basis.
Lupercalia’s public events aim to provide educational, and informative opportunities and to engage people on a variety of issues affecting the community. This year the festival offers three such events. The first is the ‘Wall of Sound: Community Musical Map,’ which launches at the Ginger Press Bookstore on Wednesday, February 1st at 12 noon and goes until the end of the festival. The idea for the map comes from Windsor, Ontario, where music venue owner Tom Lucier brought community members together to create the ‘Windsor music tangle.’ Citizens contribute their knowledge of local music history to help form a floor to ceiling map displaying the varying connections between bands and band members (black marker draws lines between the various players circled in black to the bands boxed in and written in red). The result is a visually impressive map of the community’s musical history. This is an exciting prospect for a region with such a rich musical history as Owen Sound and the surrounding area.
The second public event will be held at the Library on Saturday, February 18th at 3pm. ‘Tech Talk with Tim’ features an open discussion with audio engineer Timothy Glasgow from London, Ontario, who has worked with such industry giants as Nile Rogers (Chic, Daft Punk, David Bowie), Metric, & Sonic Youth – just to name a few. Down to earth and eager to share his knowledge, Glasgow will also share his love of the modular synthesizer: an infinitely expanding music machine with endless components and combinations, creating music by linking modules through a growing tangle of multi-coloured patch cords. The instrument was popularized in the 1960’s and 70’s with such bands as Yes and Kraftwerk.
The third and final public event is a roundtable discussion on ‘Truth & Reconciliation & Art’ exploring the question: In light of the conclusion and the Truth & Reconciliation Commission and its 94 recommendations, what are artists – both indigenous and nonindigenous – to make of the trauma and legacy of colonization, residential schools, & missing and murdered aboriginal women? Included on the panel are Adam Sturgeon – leader of the band WHOOP-Szo, visual artist, and member of the Chippewas of the Thames First Nation, Kateri Akiwenzie-Damm – poet, author, and activist from the Chippewas of Nawash First Nation at Neyaashiinigmiing, Jake Chegahno – singer-songwriter & Owen Sound resident originally from Cape Croker, John Fearnall – educator and photographer from Owen Sound, Pete Devlin – musician, Owen Sound resident, and member of the Dene First Nation, Virginia Eichorn – Director & Chief Curator of the Tom Thomson Art Gallery, and Maryann Thomas – publisher and owner the Ginger Press. It takes place at the Ginger Press Bookstore on Saturday, February 18th at 4:30pm.
Mudtown Records presents the 2017 Lupercalia Winter Multi-Arts Festival on February 17th & 18th in Owen Sound, featuring: the Woodshed Orchestra, the Surfrajettes, Taktus, WHOOP-Szo, L Con, Tim Glasgow, the Silent Film Ensemble, tWeen, & First Winter, plus the ‘Wall of Sound’ Community Musical Map, the Luper-Culinary Locavore Lounge, ‘Tech Talk’ with audio engineer Tim Glasgow, roundtable discussion on ‘Truth & Reconciliation & Art,’ and more. Tickets & information are available in person at Heartwood Home, or online via MudtownRecords.com.

A tremendous thank-you to all the artists, audiences, sponsors, & partners who made Lupercalia 2016 a sold out success over the entire weekend!!!! We look forward to seeing you February 17th & 18th, 2017!!!! Artist & sponsor applications are now open. Artists click here, sponsors click here. Watch the video recap from the events on the Friday night below. #getlupie

OWEN SOUND ­- Lupercalia Winter Multi­Arts Festival is being revived, offering up entertainment just when people could use it most ­ ­ in the dead of a Grey­Bruce winter. Lupercalia, scheduled for Feb. 12­13, had a three­year run ending in 2013. The festival brought indie music in multiple city venues at a time of year when there were no significant events like it and there still aren’t, organizer Josh Richardson said. The winter festival is returning because he has more time since cancelling his summer Mudtown Music & Arts Festival in 2014 and because people asked him to, Richardson said. At Lupercalia, Richardson says people will be able to enjoy Mudtown’s flavour of entertainment. Greg and Joanna Bottrell of Heartwood Concert Hall will host the headliners acts at the Lupercalia Winter Multi­Arts Festival Feb. 12­13 in downtown Owen Sound. (James Masters/The Sun Times, Owen Sound) NEWS LOCAL LupercaliabackthisFebruary By Scott Dunn, Sun Times, Owen Sound Wednesday, December 23, 2015 5:51:56 EST PM “I think that people have come to realize that the kind of stuff that we’re doing is not middle of the road, top 40 pre­fab folk or pop ­­ if you can have pre­fab top 40 folk. I think we’re offering something different, but still with broad enough appeal that most anyone could hop in an enjoy themselves thoroughly.” There are two headliners, The Sadies, a Juno Award­winning roots­rock band, and Souljazz Orchestra, an eight piece, Afro­funk fusion band, Richardson said. “If you like to dance and if you like rhythmically based music with lots of horns, this is your thing, it will be electrifying.” Another band, Friendly Rich & the Lollipop People, will bring its “Frank Zappa meets Tom Waits” style played by band members who are among Toronto’s best session musicians, Richardson said. Skye Wallace, Hervana and Cupcake Ductape will also perform. The recently opened Heartwood Concert Hall will be the main venue, where both headliners will perform. Richardson said more locations and schedule details will be announced in the new year. Heartwood co­owner Greg Bottrell spent 25 years in the music business in Toronto, including as booking agent for the Rivoli night club in the 1990s and restaurant and club owner in the 2000s. He said he still owns a restaurant/concert venue/dance club in Kensington Market. “It’s nice to see Josh bring some of the more indie acts up to this region because either the kids aren’t creating that type of music and nor are they exposed to some of those bands,” he said. Lupercalia will also have workshops, panel discussions and author and music journalist Stuart Berman, a contributor to online music magazine Pitchfork, will speak at an event called “Rock ‘n Writing” at the Owen Sound & North Grey Union Public Library. It will be free to kids and everyone else will pay a small fee, Richardson said. Playwright and spoken word artist Cathy Petch will perform and there will be a “Luper­Culinary Lounge,” featuring the best in local food and refreshments, Richardson said. In 2010, Richardson started OTHERfolk Festival, his downtown response to the landmark Summerfolk music festival at Kelso Beach, which he criticized for having too narrow a definition of folk music. OTHERfolk continued until 2013 when it was renamed Mudtown Music & Arts Festival, which he cancelled in 2014 due to slow ticket sales. His Mudtown Records, a regional record label, continues to present The Mudtown Music & Arts Series year­round. Lupercalia weekend VIP and general admission passes are available at MudtownRecords.com. Early bird tickets are on sale until midnight tonight. Early bird weekend passes are $80 for general admission, $110 for VIP tickets, which guarantee access to all Lupercalia concerts and attractions. Single day passes will be for sale if capacity permits.